Spoilt for choice in London to celebrate another year on the planet and in the capital... and The Keeper's House has been on my wishlist since it opened a couple of years ago, so La Teen and I opted for its early evening, pre-theatre supper. The restaurant combines fine dining with fine art within the walls of the Royal Academy of Arts in Piccadilly.
I decided to put on my 'alternative' tea-dress, in a lively African print in feral greens and browns, by Osika; my patent-leather green jacket by BCBG Max Azria; and brown velvet heels by Robert Clergerie. The clutch - a Hong Kong original from the '50s - but purchased in Lewes, East Sussex, featured in my Belair posting. Vintage jewellery and a Mongolian lamb scarf, in baize green, happily complemented the interiors, created by acclaimed architect, David Chipperfield RA. Didn't realised subterranea could be so seductive!
A delicious birthday dinner... roll on another year.
Here's a new addition to the street art of Dulwich - by MadC - to be found at the crossroads where pub meets library, and bank meets florists, at the top end of Lordship Lane. The recently-finished mural prompted closer inspection (and a photo opportunity). I'm wearing my favourite new combats, authentically Desert Storm indeed with their own NATO number (and a bargain to boot from Frank the Stylist), together with a leather Banana Republic jacket and a shaggy waistcoat from Sugar. The snakeskin boots are by Pura López whilst the sunnies, in the same style zone as Iris Apfel, are French by Francois Pinton, from south London's Paraphernalia. My turquoise jewellery is from Jessica Walker.
The new piece of street art replaces another called Tea with a Bee, created as part of Baroque the Streets, a collaboration between Dulwich Festival and Street Art London. It, along with a number of other works, put Dulwich firmly on the map for street art, back in May 2013. MadC's work also appeared then, most notably in The Street Art House, formerly at 265 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich.
The charming northern town of Barnard Castle is a somewhat unlikely location to view high fashion, but the Bowes Museum has achieved a coup - in playing host to the first major retrospective of the late, great Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008). On the outskirts of the picturesque County Durham town soars this grand château-style building, which would not look out of place in Paris, around the Belle Epoque. It was in the French capital that the 25 year old designer established his fashion house in 1965, prior to which he had gained fame as Christian Dior's successor in 1957. But back to the north of England - and Teesdale - where homage to the couturier can be found in just a few rooms of this fine museum which perfectly encapsulate what he said of his craft: "What has always come first to me is respect for a metier that is not quite an art, but which needs an artist in order to exist."
This exhibition is a thematic exploration of more than 40 creative years, with pieces aptly divided into Haute Couture, Masculin/Feminin, Transparence, Art, Spectaculaire and The Alchemy of Style. In each section, there are pieces which highlight YSL's extraordinary contribution to fashion: his compelling style, whether reinventing the suit (a typically male stronghold) for an YSL woman so that it becomes both restrained and sexy; an immaculate black silk jersey jumpsuit, which has something indefinably rock n' roll about it; a Chantilly lace-backed black dress from 1970; or literally flights of fancy - embroidered doves twinned on each shoulder of a royal blue sheath dress, and inspired by George Braque. I loved The Alchemy of Style section: a cluster of prototype pieces, with all the details etched upon cream calico. My absolute favourite: an orange silk satin cape from 1988 with a sun flanked by a pair of doves and embroidered by Lesage. Surely a piece you would never want to hide away in a wardrobe!
This marvellous show was worth every mile travelled from London. For comfort and ease, I wore a navy knit from Comme des Garçons and a pair of jeans by Stella McCartney, notable for the hook-and-eye detail running down to the calf. YSL wished that he had invented blue jeans. He noted that they have 'expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity- all I hope for in clothes'.
The exhibition runs until November 8, and is supported by the Fondation Pierre Bergé -Yves Saint Laurent.
Opened in 1892, Bowes Museum has arguably the best collection of European fine and decorative arts in the north of England including work by El Greco, Goya and Canaletto. It also has a signature piece, a charming 18th century silver automaton swan, which captures an audience every time it is set into action. The museum is open all year, save for three days: December 25 & 26 and January 1.
This year marks The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair's 30th Birthday, launched by Patricia Harvey, and which has made Battersea Park its home since 1997. We are relatively new converts but it is a fixture in our calendar along with every discerning interior designer and collector around the capital. The thrice-yearly event opened its doors for autumn purchases on Tuesday and runs until the end of the weekend. On our walkabout we noticed delicious pieces of art, an amazing pair of mid-century Czech bookshelves and a ravishingly-red Chinese console table. I wore a favourite vintage velvet jacket, last seen in 'Red on Red', a pair of Armani navy pinstripes (previous outing: The only real adventure is me...) with a simple white linen shirt, neon-pink Miss Sixty belt, satin wedges by Castañer, and an Italian leather bag from Brixton Village Market.
The weather was out, and so were we, in celebration of last weekend's Croftfest in south London and all that's best in SE4. Highlighting both home-grown shops and produce in this particular part of London, Croftfest attracted families, shoppers and indeed passers-by to the day-long community street festival on Saturday, and certainly there was a buzz around Crofton Park in the September sunshine.
We were in our element: dressing up in lots of different styles and eras, courtesy of designer and vintage boutique, Paraphernalia, which celebrates its 18th year at 365 Brockley Road this month. I wore a slinky burnt-orange knit dress with divine Fendi bag and Dolce & Gabbana boots; a funky Traffic People metallic jumpsuit reminiscent of Studio 54; a chic navy ensemble; a sophisticated grey and camel outfit complete with Goyard clutch; and a glamorous vintage fur, with the best boots for strutting my stuff. What a great day and a Happy 18th to Paraphernalia! And check out the amazing street art in this neighbourhood!
